World Heritage Sites

The importance of Oman's natural and cultural sites has helped the Sultanate to gain the special attention and interest of UNESCO, through its International Heritage Preservation Programs, which aims to categories and name all significant heritage sites worldwide, both cultural and natural.

UNESCO has classified four major localities in the Sultanate:

• The Castle of Bahla, listed in 1987.
• Bat tombsThe, listed in 1988.
• The Frankincense Route
• Al-Blaid , listed in 2000
• Shasr, Khuwr Rori, listed in 2000

In July 2006 the UNESCO approved five falaj irrigation systems on the World Heritage List. The origin of this system of irrigation may date back 2000 years.

The five falaj approved by UNESCO on the World Heritage List:

• Falaj Daris
• Falaj Al-Khatmeen
• Falaj Al-Malki
• Falaj Al-Mayser
• Falaj Al-Jeilah.

Castles & Forts

Bahla Fort:

The first fort built on this site was during the Nabhani period (830), and the second during the reign of Imam Nasser bin Murshid Al Ya'arubi (1624). The castle we see now is the result of development and renovation during the reign of Imam Azan bin Qais Al-Bu Saidi (1868).
The unusual shape, ornate towers and impressive high wall, in addition to its cultural value, qualified the Castle of Bahla to be included by UNESCO on its list of World Heritage and Culture in 1988.

Nizwa Fort: The design of the Castle reflects the considerable advances made in the field of military fortifications and mortar-based warfare during the era of Al-Ya'aribah. The main bulk of the citadel took about 12 years to complete and was built over a subterranean stream. The entrance of the castle opens into a veritable maze of rooms, high-ceilinged halls, doorways, narrow staircases, terraces, and corridors. The most striking feature of the castle is its central tower, complete with battlements, turrets, secret shafts, false doors and wells, which measures a colossal 150 feet in diameter and soars 115 feet above the rest of fortification.

Rustaq:

The castle incorporates an earlier structure which was built in the 13th century, which was itself built on the site of Persian ruins. The present structure is the result of reconstruction by the first Imam of the Al-Ya'aruba dynasty between 1624 and1649, when Rustaq was established as the capital of a united Oman.

Falaj Al-Sa'eghi is channeled through the castle to provide a supply of water. Other interesting features are rooms for living, storage, and defence, Bayadha mosque and the tomb of the late Imam, Sultan bin Seif.

Nakhl Fort: Nakhl Castle sits on top of a 200-metre rocky prominence in the foothills of the Western Hajar Mountains, overlooking the extensive palm groves which surround Nakhl. The castle is believed to date from the pre-Islamic era, and underwent significant renovation in the 9th and 16th centuries during the reigns of Bani Kharous and the Al-Ya'aruba imams respectively. The castle also features a bridge and contains many rooms for various uses, including the quarters of the Wali, a guard's shelter and soldiers’ rooms.

Al-Mirani Fort:

The fort was originally built in the early 16th century by the Portuguese, who used it as their major headquarters during the 60 years of their occupation of Oman. Towards the latter half of the century, they added more fortifications and towers to the fort. In 1610 a dock was constructed at the base of the fortification, equipped with a low-level battering ram to repel attacks from passing ships. In 1650, Omani forces expelled the Portuguese, and gradually rebuilt and strengthened the fort into its present form.

Al-Jalali Fort:

The fort was originally built in the early 16th century by the Portuguese captain Melkior Calaca,
with more fortifications and towers being added towards the latter half of the century. Upon its capture by Omani forces in 1650, it was gradually strengthened and rebuilt into its present form.

Museums

Bait Al-Zubair:

Opened in 1998, the museum occupies Al-Zubair House, which was established by Sheikh Al-Zubair bin Ali in 1914. The museum has a comprehensive and well-documented collection of traditional artifacts including costumes, jewelry, household equipment and weaponry from the past and the present. It covers many aspects of Omani culture and customs in the various regions of the country.

Armed Force Museum:

The museum is located in Bait Al-Falaj Fort; the original garrison headquarters for Sultan Said bin Sultan's Armed Forces. The museum documents the military history of Oman through displays of weaponry, uniforms, motor vehicles, defense systems and detailed information on military conflicts throughout Oman’s turbulent history.

Bit Al-Baranda:

The museum occupies a 19th century house in Muttrah called Bai Al-Baranda (Veranda House). The name derives from the distinctive feature of the veranda extending across the first floor. Since its foundation, the building has undergone a series of renovations before finally being converted to a museum in October 2006.

Natural History Museum:

Opened in 20 December 1985, the museum exhibits Oman's flora and fauna. Showcases display the country's indigenous species set in their different habitats with a hall devoted to marine species.
Planted in the botanical gardens adjacent to the museum are highly scented shrubs which can be found throughout the Sultanate.

Archeological Sites

Qalhat:

Located in the Wilayat of Sur is the city of Qalhat. Built on top of a hill overlooking the Gulf of Oman, Qalhat is said to have once been a main trade centre and port for the export of horses in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and for importing spices from India to be re-distributed inland and abroad. Little remains to be seen apart from the mausoleum of Bibi Maryam, a local lady of some importance.

Bait Al-Qufl:

Bait al-qufl or 'house of the lock' is a form of architecture unique to Musandam. It is a miniature stronghold built of local stone used for storing supplies of grain, dates and other items crucial to the survival of the household.
The roof is made from timbers of acacia, covered with a mixture of earth and gravel with an edging of stone blocks.
Inside, the floor is about one metre below ground and there are raised slabs for storing goods. Entry is difficult as the heavy door extends to the sunken floor, opens inwards and is deeply recessed. It is secured by an elaborate locking system which gives the structure its name.

Bat tombs:

One of the most important archaeological sites in Wilayat Ibri, in Al-Dahirah region, is the tombs of Bat. Due to its historical importance, the site has been listed by UNESCO as an International Heritage Site.
A large number of tombs, dating from 3,000 BC are distributed throughout a large area. The most accessible site can be found near the village of Al Ain where about 20 tombs stand on a ridge, with the sheer face of Jebel Misht rising behind them. The bee-hive shaped dry-stone tombs are 3–6 metres tall and have small entrances, most of which are not wide enough to enter.

Mosques

Grand Mosque: Opened in May 2001, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a splendid architectural achievement. This serene building rises above the surrounding area, its minarets standing tall against a background of mountains in a landscape which is quintessentially Omani. However, it is not just a triumph of architecture but symbolises the faith of the Omani people and the supremacy of Islam in the country. The mosque is actually a complex consisting of an Islamic Studies Centre, a 3-storey library with 20,000 volumes, a meeting and conference hall to seat 300 people, in addition to two prayer halls. The main musalla (prayer hall) has been designed to hold over 6,500 worshippers, while the women's musalla can accommodate 750. The outer paved courtyard holds another 8,000 and there is additional space in the interior courtyard and passageways, making a total capacity of up to 20,000 worshippers. The site covers an area of 416,000 square metres and the complex is built over an area of around 40,000 square metres. The materials and craftsmanship used were carefully researched and sourced at origin. Modern designs and new interpretations were applied to the classic design and details of the building.

Exterior:

Screens at the entrance which seem to be almost two-dimensional give little hint of the spacious layout within. Three pathways lead to the podium on which the complex is constructed. Behind these are the courtyards of the entrance leading to the arcaded Riwaqs.
The formal entrance courtyard sits on a cross axis with the main minaret which rises to 91.5m high. To its east and west are the 2 subsidiary courtyards. All three lead to the Sahn, the open paved court surrounding the prayer halls, which covers a total area of 24,400 square metres.

The northern and southern arcades (riwaqs) form the transitional space separating the areas of worship from other facilities and amenities.

Each of them has an internal length of 221 metres. The riwaqs are roofed with a series of domes which take their inspiration from the unique and ancient mosque of Al-Jame'a at Jaalan Bani Bu Ali in Ash-Sharqiyah Region.
The names of God are engraved in Diwani script in the spaces between the arches, on the facades of the riwaqs and elsewhere.
The outer walls of the musalla are ornamented with engraved designs, which include depictions of plants, as well as geometric shapes and Quranic verses in Thuluth script. Ornamentation gradually becomes more intense and elaborate as one proceeds towards the building interior and its inner sanctum.

Interior:

Every architectural element of the interior combines various features of traditional Islamic arts and crafts, employed in a contemporary manner appropriate to the general style of the mosque. The best examples can be seen in the design and construction of the musalla's interior dome and prayer carpet.

The inner walls of the main musalla are entirely faced in off-white and dark grey marble, and are decorated with geometrically patterned gilded murals in a predominantly Safavid style.

The walls are topped with wooden parapets of the type typically found in Omani forts.

The open-plan hall has four main pillars which support the inner structure of the Dome. In the northern and southern walls are arcades that open on to the musalla, decorated with embossed ornate arches in the Mamluk tradition.

The Mihrab (the niche facing Makkah) is deeply recessed in the qiblah wall (the direction of Makkah) as an independent work of art. The mihrab is framed by Quranic verses and is outlined in twisted cable ceramic moulding, painted in gold. Next to the mihrab is the recessed minbar alcove set in a ceramic panel to the north and clad in marble panelling.

The interior Dome is assembled in segments between the marble ribs and columns and inlaid with fine cut tiles. The ribs emphasise the effect of a sphere.

A concealed complex steel support structure ties the inner dome to the outer shell.
Above the openings on the side walls are stained glass windows whose patterns and motifs complement the decorations on the walls.

The Carpet:

The carpet of the main musalla is a massive artistic project and is a masterpiece of creativity, skill and logistics. Covering the entire floor of the main musalla, the hand-made Persian carpet measures over 70x60 meters, and covers an area of 4,263 square meters.

The carpet has 1,700 million knots and weighs 21 tons. It took 4 years to produce: 15 months to finalise the designs and prepare weaving materials and workshops, 27 months of weaving and 5 months to finish, clean and trim the 58 pieces. These were then joined and laid inside the main musalla by expert weavers.

The carpet was woven in Nishabur near Mashhad, Khurassan in Iran. 600 dedicated female weavers worked under the supervision of 16 technical experts. The pile is in fine wool, and the warp and weft in cotton yarn.
This intricate design of the carpet has brought together the classical Tabriz, Kashan and Isfahan traditions. 28 colours in varying shades were used, the majority of which were obtained from traditional vegetable dyes.

Lighting:

Lighting in the main musalla is achieved with chandeliers made of Swarovski crystal and gilded metals. Specially designed for the musalla,35 chandeliers hang from the wood-panelled ceiling in the outer bays surrounding the dome.The grand central chandelier which hangs from the highest point of the dome, is 14 metres high and 8 metres in diameter. It contains 1,122 lamps and weighs eight tonnes. The 9 chandeliers in the women’s musalla are in the Ottoman style and are made of Turkish crystal.

Natural Wonders

Majlis Al-Jin Cave Majlis Al-Jin Cave (Jinn spirits), the largest cave in the Arab world and the third largest worldwide. The cave is 340m long and 228m wide, with a height of 120m. With an astonishing volume of 4 million m3, this vast area is capable of containing 12 Boeing 747 jumbo planes! The cave walls are entirely made of limestone, pierced by several gravel water ducts. The only way in is by rope.

Al-Hootah Cave Al-Hootah Cave is basically a 2.7km tunnel, running from north to south across the Western Hajar Mountains. It comprises an underground cavern and subterranean lake system. In the main chamber of Al-Hootah Cave are some magnificent cave formations, stalactites, stalagmites, and columns which have formed over millions of years. These beautiful structures are delicately coloured in shades of pink, yellow, gold and beige. The subterranean lake within the cave is home to unusual species of aquatic creatures such as blind fish that sense their way around the lake with feelers. The main lake within the cave system is around 800m long.

Al-Jabel Al-Akhdar At 2,980m, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar (Green Mountain) is the highest peak in the Eastern Hajar mountains and the second highest point in the Sultanate after Jabal Shams. Temperatures do not exceed 30 C° on the Jabal during summer, while in winter they can plunge below 5 C°. The Jabal receives an annual average rainfall of 303 mm. Fruit trees, flowers and shrubs flourish on the heights, creating a green landscape which gives rise to the name of the mountain.

Jabal Shams (Sun Mountain) Oman’s highest peak, at 3,009 metres above sea level, Jabal Shams or Sun Mountain is located in the Wilayat of Al-Hamra. The summit is unreachable by public road which ends at 2,000m. A 4 wheel drive vehicle will take you to a plateau where you can look down on a deep canyon. The mountain is cold in summer, with some snowfall in winter.

The Empty Quarter The Empty Quarter is the largest desert in the world. Measuring 1000km in length and 500km in width, the desert spans four countries: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen. To this day many parts of the Empty Quarter remain unexplored and as its name suggests, stand empty, at least with respect to human inhabitants. In the past camel caravans carrying frankincense traveled along the edges of the Omani portion of the desert. However, due to the increase in desertification over the past millennium, this journey has been made very difficult for the caravans and is no longer used. The Empty Quarter is considered the world's richest oil-bearing area, and is home to the largest oil field in the world.

Sharqiyah Sands If a dream of a perfect desert with a sea of undulating dunes stretching into the distance could come true, it would still fall short of Sharqiyah Sands, formerly Wahiba Sands. Spread over an area of 9,000km2, The Sands are a major tourist attraction, catering for those who enjoy walking, dune driving, sand-boarding or just taking in the splendid scenery. A number of well maintained camps are in place around the Sands, providing excellent services, including 4-wheel drive tours.